Pressure retaining valve



P. F. WILSON PRESSURE RETAINING VALVE Dec. 27, 1932.

Filed April 26, 1952 frm/Mfr Patented Dec. 27, 1932 iranl STATES erica PRESSURE RETANING 'VALVE Application` filed April 26', 1932. Serial No. 607,555.

rlhis invention relates to pressure retaining valve mechanism for use with air brake systems of railway cars for the purpose of retaining a predetermined pressure in the brake cylinders after application of the brakes.

One obj ect of this invention is the provision of a pressure retaining device for use with air brake systems which is under the control of the engineer-and which is so constructed and arranged in the air brake system as to function to retain all or a part of the brake cylinder pressure while the auxiliary reservoir is being recharged.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a pressure retaining device con-` trolled by train line pressure and adapted to retain all ora part of the brake cylinder pressure.

Still another object of this invention is the 0 provision of a pressure retaining device for use with air brake systems of railway cars which is connected to the usual triple valve to automatically control the exhaust therefrom. A further object of this invention is the provision of a pressure retaining device for air brake systemswhich is controlled by train line pressure and which is connected to the usual triple valve to automatically control the o exhaust therefrom.

"o Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

r Figure l is a fragmentary view showing 3" the present invention in connection with a tra-in pipe line main reservoir, triple valve and auxiliary reservoir, the view also showing more or less diagrammatically the brake do valve and feed valvewhich are positioned for operation by an engineer.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the pressure retaining device of the present invention, and

F ig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2,.the view having certain parts broken away to disclose other parts in section.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing and particularly to Fig. l, the main reservoir isv fragmentarily shown at 2 and no the usual brake valve is indicated at 4 connected to the main reservoir by a pipe 6. A feed valve, uncer the control of the engineer, is shown at 8 in a branch pipe l0 which leads from the pipe 6 into the brake valve 4. l. The l train pipe line is indicated at l2 and is con- 55 nected to the brake valve 4 by a pipe 14 and has connection with the usual type of triple valve i6 through a pipe i8, the triple valve lG being connected to the auxiliary reservoir 2O to which latter the brake cylinder 22 is 60 connected.

The retaining device forming the subject` matter of the present invention is interposed in the system just described and is indicated 65,

generally at A and is connected to the exhaust .24 of the triple valve through a'pipe 26. y The device A is controlled in its operation by the train pip-e line pressure andhence is con-v nected through a pipe 27 with the pipe 18 leading from the train pipeline l2.

The device A comprises a body portion adapted to' be connected at 30 to thepipe 26 so that the exhaust from the triple valve may pass into an exhaust chamber 32 formed in the body portion. On opposite sides of the chamber 32 are discharge valve chambers 34 and 3S respectively which are closed at their open ends by removable caps 38 and which contain escape valves 40 and 42 respectively which normally close ports 44 and 46 leading to plunger chambers 48 and 50. The valves 40 and 42 are adjustably secured to the upper end portions of stems 52 of plungers 54 arranged in the chambers 48 and 50 and seated on diaphragms 56 which close 85 the lower open ends of said chambers and which are secured in position by removable caps 58 having supporting lugs 60 Vwhich eX- tend ,upwardly from the concaved inner surfaces 62 of said caps and which serve to support the diaphragms at a central Zone to limit the movement of the plunger 54 in one direction against movement of compression springs 64 which have one end of each thereof restingupon the plungers and the opposite or upper ends arranged in pockets 66 formed in spring adjusters 68 adjustably mounted within the plunger chambers 48 and 50. The stems 52 are provided at their upper ends with nuts 70 for securing the valves 40 and 42 against displacement. The spring adjusters 68 are provided with heads 72 having recesses 74 therein for receiving a suitable adjusting tool adapted to be inserted therein through escape openings 76 formed in the body portion of the valve.

The valve chamber 34 is in constant communication With the chamber 32 through a port 78 and the chamber 32 is in communication With an upper valve chamber 80 through a port 82 normally closed by the .ref silient member 84 of a valve 86 formed With and secured to the lower end portion of a valve stem 88 Which latter extends longitudinally in a valve housing 90 forming a part of the valve chamber 80 and secured to the body portion as at 92. The upper end of the housing is closed by a cap94 and the valve stem 88 extends upwardly through a guide- 96 adjustably mounted Within the housing` 9.0 as shown at 98 and having its under surfacerecessed as at 100 to form a pocket into which the upper end of a compression spring 102 is positioned, the spring 102 beinginterposed between said guide and the valve 86 and functioning to normally retain the valve in a: position such as to close the port 82. The valve86 is provided with a depending guide member 104having vertical .guide ribs 106 asclearly shown in Fig. 2. The valve Chamber 80 communicates With the valve chamber 36 through a port 108.

The retain-er device A, as before mentioned, is adapted to be controlled by train line press sure and the caps 58 are each provided with an inlet 110 through which train line pressure frompipes 12, 18 and 27 is passed through ports `112 into chambers114 and 116, respectively, defined by the concaved inner surfaces of the caps;58 and the diaphragms 56.

The valves 40, 42 and 86 are adapted to be unseated in response toV predetermined pressures dependingupon desired and requiredy conditions. As an example, the spring adg: jestery 68 in plunger chamber 50 is adjusted to exert a pressure against spring 64 such thatya pressure of approximately 68# is re,- quired in chamber 114 to shift the plunger 5.4 to unseat the valve 42, while the adjuster 5@ 68 in chamber 48 exerts a pressure against thespring in said chamber sufficient to require apressure in chamber 116 of approximately 731,-..L in order to unseat the valve 40. The spring 102 exert-s compression against valve 86 to an amount suicient to require a pressure of approximately 30.# yin exhaust chamber 32 to unseat the valve. In other Words, the several valves in the body portion are adapted to be unseated in response to 6.0i different pressures, and preferably sequentially. in response to) increased pressures; valve 8,6 being the rst to unseat; then valve 42 and `finally valve 40.

It Will be obvious that when the valve 86 is 65.l unseated communication is establishedbe tween chambers 32 and 36 through port 108, and upon unseating of the valve 42 in response to pressure in chamber 114 communication is established from thechambers 32 and 36 to the atmosphere through port 46 and plunger chamber and escape opening 76. Then, upony pressure at or above approximately 7in chamber 116 the valve 40 is unseated and in addition to the above-mentioned escape of air to the atmosphere, it will be apparent that communication is estab lished from chamber 32 through port 78 into valve chamber 34, then through port 44 into plunger chamber 48 and then to the atmosphere through the escape opening.

T rain line pressure is controlled-byl the feed valve 8`Whichis. so formed as 4to provide three predetermined pressures, namely, a high pressure preferably of approximately 80$:, a low pressure ofaapproximately 65.6: and an intermediatepressure of approximately 7056:.

ln the system shown in Fig. 1, air exhausting fr om4 the triple valve is discharged throughpipe 26 into chamber 32 of the ref taining device, and passesv into valve cham- 'f ber 34-.`and, if the pressure of the air in chamber 32 is above 30d; the valve 86 Will be unseated and air will pass into chamber 80 and throughport- 108into valve chamber 36. Air

from the train line. 12 can pass into the cham- -f bers114and 116 4.of the retainingvalve structuredue to their; connection With the train line through pipe 27. It Will be obvious that ifthe pressurepin ehamber'114 is above 68# therplunger 54-.vvill be actuated to lift the valve 42fromits seat to permit the air in chamber 36, and hence the air in chambers'80 and32, to escape to the atmosphere through plungerfchamber 5.0 and escape opening 76 until the pressure chamberv 32 drops below 30:61. TheV air from pipe-27, as mentioned above., passesinto the chamber 116 and if the air isinsuticient to establish orl maintain a pressurein chamber 116 above 7 3# the valve 40 will remainseated, butupon increase of pressure in chamber 116 above 73:6, the valve 40 will beunseated and it will be ap parent that air: exhaustingfrom the triple valve through pipe 26 into vexhaust chamber 32 can-pass immediately to the atmosphere through port 78,`valve chamber 34, port 44 and plunger chamber 48'. Itxvill be apparent that due to the ready` and free escape of air from thetriple valve vvhenfthe valve 40 is unseated the brakes may be fullyv released.

To fully setlthe bralresand retainall the brake cylinder pressurewhile the` auxiliary reservoir 20'is being recharged, a train line reduction of approximatelyI 20his made in. the usual-manner and the feed valve 8 is turned to its low pressure position and the brake. valve 4-'isoperated to. running posiw tion. Due to the low pressureposition of the feed valve thepressure in the :train line Will-be approximately :#,Which isinsuffi-A roo cient to actuate eitherw the valves 40 or 42 as above pointed out and hence there can be no exhaust from the triple valve to the atmosphere and the auxiliary reservoir 2O Will be recharged.

To partly release the brakes, the feed valve 8 is turned to the intermediate position, which, by Way of illustration, is indicated by an arrow in Fig. l, and this allovvs the train line and chambers 114i and 116 to be charged up to 705Lt, which obviously is suiiicient to actuate the diaphragm 56 to .cause the plunger 54 in chamber 50 to be moved to unseat valve whereby the air in chambers 36, and exhaust chamber passes to the atmosphere untily the pressure in chamber 32 drops to 309i.

To fully release the brakes, the feed valve is turned to the high-pressure position to permit the train line and chambers lidand 116 to be charged with air in excess of 73.7%, (about 80g/t, as described herein) Which obviously will unseat the valves l0 and l2 and air exhausting through pipe 26 from the brake cylinder and triple valve can pass immediately to the atmosphere through chambers 32, Bet and 48.

From the above description it is believed that the construction and operation of the retaining valve structure of the present invention Will be Jfully apparent to those skilled in the art Without further elaboration. The drawing discloses one embodiment ot the invention but it is to be understood they are for illustrative purposes only and various changes in the form and proportions of the invention may be made Within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of t ie invention.

W' hat is claimed is:

l. In an air brake system in combination with the train line, auxiliary reservoir and triple valve, a pressure retaining device connected with the triple valve to receive exhaust therefrom, said device including a body portion connected with the train line and having a plurality of valves therein normallyT preventing release of the triple valve exhaust from the device, said valves being so arranged and mounted as to be independently operable sequentially in response to progres` sively increased tra-in line pressure.

2. ln an air brake system in combination with the train line, auxiliary reservoir and triple valve, a pressure retaining device connected with the triple valve to receive exhaust therefrom, said device comprising a body portion having an exhaust chamber therein, a valve normally closing the chamber against escape of the exhaust and operable upon increase ot air pressure in the chamber above a predetermined degree, a plurality of escape valves in the body portion, and means connecting the device with the train line to receive pressure therefrom to effect sequential operation of said escape valves in response to progressively increased pressure from the train line to etiect venting of the exhaust outk the device. f

3. A. pressure retaining device for air brake systems comprising a body portion having an exhaust chamber therein for receiving exhaust from a triple valve, apluraiity of independently functioning valves in the body portion for controlling release of the triple valve exhaust to the atmosphere, valve chambers in 'the body portion normally closed by said valves, and means for adjusting said valves to cause the same to be operative in response to progressively increased air pressure thereagainst.

A pressure retaining device for air brake systems comprising a body portion havan exhaust chamber receiving exhaust fr m a triple valve, a plurality of valve chambers each adapted to receive triple valve exhaust from the exhaust chambers, one of 'l chambers being in constant open communication with the exhaust chamber, valve means for controlling passage et triple valve exhaust to the other valve chambers, .escape valves normally preventing release of the exhaust from the body portion, means connecting` said device to the train line whereby the latter is adapted to receive pressure therefrom to operate said .escape valves, and means for adjusting the escape valves to operate respectively in response to diierenttrain line pressure to control escape of the triple valve exhaust from the device.

5. ln an air brake system in combination with the auxiliary reservoir, triple-valve and train line, a pressure retaining device coni-V prising a body portion having an exhaust chamber therein receiving exhaust from the triple valve, a plurality of escape valve chambers in the body portion one thereof being in constant open communication With the exhaust chamber, a valve normally preventing passage ot exhaust to the other valve chambers operable upon increase of pressure in the exhaust chamber to permit escape of exhaust into the other escape valve chamber. valves in the escape valve chambers normally preventing escape oi the exhaust from said body portion, and means connecting the train line and body portion to pass air into the body portion to actuate the escape valves.

6. In an air brake system in combination With the auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and train line, a pressure retaining device coinprising a bodyportion having an exhaust chamber therein receiving exhaust from the trip-le valve, a plurality of escape valve chambers in the body portion one thereoil being in constant open communication vvith the rexhaust chamber, a valve normally preventing passage otexhaust tothe other valve chamthe same with the plunger chambers, springbers operable upon increase of pressure in the exhaust chamber to permit escape of exhaust into the other escape valve chamber, valves in the escape valve chambersA normally preventing escape of the exhaust from said body portion, means for adjusting the escape valves to permit respective operation thereof only in response to progressively increased pressures, and means connecting the train line and' body portion to permit passage of' air from the train line into the body -portion to actuate the escape valves.

7. In a pressure retaining device for air brake systems, a body portion having an exhaust chamber for receiving exhaust from a triple valve, discharge chambers in said body portion one thereof being in constant open communication with the exhaust chamber, an exhaust valve chamber in constant open communieationwith the other discharge chamber and having a port communicating" with the exhaust chamber, a spring pressed valve normally closing the port to prevent escape of triple valve exhaust into the exhaust valve chamber, means for adjusting the valve spring whereby said valve is operative Y only in response to predetermined pressure in the exhaust chamber, spring pressed escape valves in the said discharge valve cham bers, said body portion having expansible pressure chambers therein for receiving air under pressure to actuate the escape valves to permit release of triple valve exhaust to the atmosphere.

8. In a pressure retaining device for air brake systems comprising a body portion having a valve operative in response to train line pressure, a plunger' chamber in the body portion provided with an expansible airv chamber at one end thereof, a plunger in said chamber to which the valve is secured, said plunger seating on the air chamber, a

spring adjuster in the plunger chamber adapted. to guide the plunger in its movements, and a spring interposed between said adjuster and plunger for normally urging the valve to seated position, said adjuster being movable in said chamber to exert a predetermined pressure on the plunger whereby the valve is adapted to be unseated only in response to predetermined air pressure within said air chamber;

9. A pressure retaining device for air means for connecting the same with the train line, flexible diaphragms closing the open ends of said chambers, said diaphragms being secured in position by said covers andA forming with the latter rair chambers for receiving train line pressure, valve chambers in said body, portion having ports connecting nagegaan pressed plungers in the plunger chambers normally preventing passage of the triple valve exhaust to the' ported: valve chamber, means for guiding the valves during their movement,l said means being adjustable to vary the compression of the springs whereby said valves are adapted to operate only in response to predeterminedair pressures.

Ien witness' whereof I have hereunto sety my hand.

PETER F. WILSON. 

